


Halamshiral

by olliolli_oxenfree



Series: bullinquisitorweek [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Dragon Age Quest: Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, F/M, almost anything that can happen in a single night happens, but damn if she won't play wingman to my other trevelyan ship, plus some family background!, the inquisitor is here to stop an assassin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 03:05:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8354467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/olliolli_oxenfree/pseuds/olliolli_oxenfree
Summary: Day five of Iron Bull x Inquisitor Appreciation Week:Wicked Eyes And Wicked HeartsKendra was born to play the Game.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The alternate title to this fic is "Prom Night".

Kendra had been wrapped in a frenzy of energy for the past two months. Josephine dropped questions about families, political ties, etiquette, popular dances, and the proper meaning behind the smallest of gestures whenever they crossed paths. Leliana only spoke Orlesian when with her, and between these she was discussing contingencies and strategy with Cullen.

“I’ll keep an extra half eye on you, yeah? Don’t want you being too nobby.”

“I may not have a choice, Sera.”

“See, there’s _being_ then there’s _acting_. You saying things to faces is part of a job. Little people getting hurt isn’t.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

When she swept through the gates of the Winter Palace, it was as the Inquisitor.

Bull watched with keen interest as she was introduced to the court. This was a first. In battle or negotiations, in those speeches she made when securing a position for the Inquisition, she was always Kendra. Quick with a knife to back her words and a part of her always fidgeting. None of that was present. Gone too was the coil of tension carried between her shoulders that told him what it was she needed to drop the weight of responsibility. Instead she drew power from the air around her and exuded command right back out. The Inquisitor straight to her bones instead of a person.

She was acting downright Qunari.

Even speaking to them, she was different. “I’ll check in with you when I can. In the meantime—”

“Inquisitor Trevelyan?”

As surely and completely the mask of Inquisitor had risen into place it fell right back off. One of the brightest grins Bull had ever seen lit her face as she spun on her heel. In all the time he’d known her, she never went straight to touching someone. No matter how often she dropped beside or onto him in the tavern he got a quick “hello” first. Even handshakes with visiting nobles waiting until after the introductions, though granted that was because she was eyeing them for concealed weaponry.

She launched herself straight into this man’s arms.

Their embrace lasted for less than a second before they were distanced, the man pressing lips to her knuckles. Kendra stepped, hands still clasped, to stand at his side.

Well damn.

He stood a few inches taller than her, broader in the chest and shoulders but with the same confidence in the way he carried himself. Their skin was an identical warm tawny shade and their noses had similar bumps, though his had been broken sometime in the past. His hair was brown, and instead of prominent cheekbones he had stubble. Her eyes were a lighter shade of green than his, and his tattoo complimented hers in a mismatched way: dotted and under the opposite eye of her spiked one.

About time he met another one of them.

“Everyone, this is Darrell. My brother.”

Vivienne stepped forward for the first of a round of introductions so quick he could only be putting faces to names. His habit of kissing hands was an ingrained one, as he did it to any who offered theirs. Bull got a closer look-over than the rest of them. He doubted it was because of the horns.

“Charmed.” The grin _had_ to be a family thing.

“I did not expect another member of the Inquisitor’s family to be here.” Josephine sounded convinced she’d just lost her place as ambassador. “If I had known, I…”

“It’s quite alright. One of our aunts is here.” Kendra’s pupils dilated. “I’m merely here to accompany her.” His eyes shifted to meet Kendra’s. The aunt was to be kept busy.

Kendra adjusted her stance, and she was the Inquisitor once more. “Enjoy the party, everyone. I expect a dance before the evening is done.”

Darrell nodded. “I’m here when you need me.”

“So,” Varric said once the two had left. “Any bets on who’s older?” Leliana laughed. She knew.

* * *

The first signal came in a few hours. By then, all talk in the palace was of the Inquisitor. She had made a place for herself among the nobles with far more ease than she did any of the soldiers. It was concerning to watch.

“You’re still you in there, yeah?” Sera asked as they distributed the catch of weapons Leliana’s people had left. “Cause if they change your mind about the pies, your face is gonna be first.”

“Don’t pay her any mind, dear. You’ve taken to the Game quite well.”

Bull was comforted by the fact Kendra had to remove a few hidden daggers to replace them with her usual ones. “With luck that will make the rest of the night easier.”

He never expected to use the word _tinkling_ to describe Viv’s laugh. “Darling, of course it will!”

The night picked up after a good fight. Kendra took a knife as a victory trophy from the body of one of the checkered guards Orlesian nobles hired. A new favorite, from the way she handled it before sheathing it in her belt. Even Sera’s mood cheered when Kendra stopped to notice something the Red Jennies had left. Pity they didn’t stay longer in the gardens.

“It seems the Inquisitor is enjoying herself,” Solas rolled the wine around in his glass.

Varric chortled. “Looks like you’re enjoying yourself too, Chuckles.”

“I merely wonder how her actions and their outcomes will shape the days ahead. Oh.”

The Inquisitor appeared on the other side of the hall. She walked towards them, exchanging words with everyone she passed along the way. Solas stayed long enough to return her greeting before he left. Kendra leaned against the table. She _was_ Kendra now. Her shoulders drooped, and the Inquisitor wouldn’t have allowed herself to sigh.

“Anything interesting happen while I was busy?”

“I think so,” Varric grinned. “Couldn’t tell what you were saying when I saw you dancing with the Grand Duchess. Fill in a few blanks, and I can make the story as interesting as you like.”

“I think they’d be more interesting if _you_ filled them, Varric.”

“Alright. Just don’t blame me when it turns out _you’re_ the one here to assassinate Celene.”

“My evening would be _much_ easier if that was the case.” Darrell appeared at her shoulder. “I found the Dowager. She’s in the eastern wing. If you go now, you can still catch her mourning her seventh.”

“I wonder if she’d accept a dance from you instead. Think her eyesight’s gone bad?”

“I’d be more concerned about her _hearing_ —”

“ _Mariah Trevelyan!_ ”

Both siblings jumped. Bull expected a knife in Kendra’s hand before she recovered from the shock. At the very least, a muttered “oh no”. What he got was the jerk of their shoulders flowing into a perfect upright posture. A smile so pleasant it was nauseating landed on their faces. Marionettes pulled by a string to turn and bow to the approaching woman. When she had bowed to the empress, Kendra's eyes had been watching. Analyzing. Finding the weakness in the ruler of Orlais. Now they were closed, her face so politely neutral Josephine would sing.

“Duchess. My apologies for not seeking you immediately.”

The Inquisitor stood, turning back to hold out an arm to the new arrival. Her eyes were blank. “My lords, allow me to introduce Duchess Kendra Trevelyan née Cheval. Our grand-aunt and current head of the Orlesian branch of the family.”

She wasn’t serious.

She _couldn’t_ be.

The Duchess gave them a piercing look from behind a fan. Either she _wanted_ him to see the curl of her lip, or she wasn’t used to hiding her tells from someone his size. “I understand if you and your...companions are busy, Mariah, but you have been here for…” the bells of the great clock in the courtyard tolled, “five hours. Surely you could not have missed our presence.”

“My apologies, Duchess. I hoped to be done with business early and spend the rest of the evening in your company. It had not occurred to me to give you a greeting before I began.”

“Pardon me, Duchess?” Darrell received a nod. “I am not sure if you overheard, but my sister and I have been looking for the Dowager. We found her in the East Wing. If you would allow me to escort you…?”

“Yes… We should not _all_ ignore our graces this evening. I _will_ speak with you later, Mariah.”

“Yes, Duchess. I look forward to it.” Kendra gave another bow as they left.

Varric broke the uneasy silence. “So… Your name is Mariah.”

Kendra whirled on him, eyes blazing. “My _middle_ name is Mariah, and _so help me_ dwarf if it gets out I will _put you back in the Fade with Stroud_.”

“Threat acknowledged,” Varric muttered. “Any, uh, _particular_ reason she calls you that?”

“...She was born first.”

Varric shook his head. “And here I thought _Kirkwall_ politics were messy.”

“Just find me an assassin.”

“As you wish, your Inquisitoralness.”

Bull waited until he was out of earshot. “Age gets her a name?”

“It _shouldn’t_.” Kendra kicked a table leg. “Problem is there’s only so many names in the family, and everyone gets named after someone else. If you’re around each other a lot and you’re not the first one you get a nickname.” Made sense. “Anyone married _into_ the family gets called by their last name instead. We never even met until I was _eight_. _I’m_ Kendra.” Her voice broke, turning the statement into a plea. Someone with her pride and sense of self, it would mess anyone up. It would be worse doing it to a kid.

With the Duchess gone the string holding her together snapped. She held herself like she expected to fall out of her skin, curled her shoulders to keep herself in.

It took every ounce of self control not to gather her in his arms and take her somewhere safe.

“Try these,” he said instead. She needed a distraction, and she’d like them. Almost tasted like the cinnamon she put on everything. “Spiced nuts.” Her gaze turned skeptical as she popped one in her mouth. _There_ she was, back with a giggle when the flavor hit.

“ _Shit_ , that’s good.” She leaned back against the table and kept eating. After a few handfuls she declared, “We should dance.”

Bull boomed with laughter. Josephine would have a _fit_. Imagine her trying to explain the Inquisitor was with—

She meant it. And was expecting a response.

“Yeah.” Her eyes lit up. “ _Shit_ , yeah!”

The bells chimed the half hour.

Kendra’s grin was shining through the guise of Inquisitor. “Give me an hour’s rain check? I just figured out how we’re getting in the Royal Wing.”

* * *

As far as traps went...they’d walked into worse. In fairness, he doubted most contingency plans these days took into consideration someone being able to tear open a rift. He was more surprised Darrell was armed and waiting with the advisors when they reentered the ballroom.

“What—”

“No time, Cullen. Detain the Grand Duchess.”

“The _Grand Duch_ —”

“Leliana, get everyone in position.”’

Darrell fell in with his sister’s steps as she strode across the ballroom and chased Florianne into the night.

Kendra’s entire fighting style made sense, now. Every shift in weight, every lash of a blade was tailored to being back-to-back with Darrell. He would catch blows aimed for her on the flat of his greatsword, and she would come knives ready and whirling around his frame. Bull had assumed she ducked as low as she did to give herself ample space between her neck and his axe. Really, she was at the perfect height to leave mere inches between Darrell’s sword and her scalp. The shorter distance halved the time it took for her to spring back to her feet and start stabbing.

In the end, that was how they killed the Grand Duchess.

“I get her bow!” Sera cried.

Still the night was not done. Bull watched Kendra address the court, standing above the nobles and entirely in her element. It worried him she wasn’t speaking as the Inquisitor.

“Well played, darling,” Vivienne praised just loud enough to be heard.

“Stretched beneath her, gold and glittering. Game pieces on a board awaiting her move.”

Solas looked at Cole. “Which game would that be?”

“Chess. Celene is the king. Gaspard became a pawn when he invited her.”

“Does she view herself the queen?”

“No. That’s Briala. Sometimes the queen is a horse.”

“Is she a knight as well?”

“She’s playing. Pieces can’t play.”

* * *

Kendra was on top of the world. One twitch of her finger and everything fell into place. Seasoned the nobles of Orlais may be, nothing prepared one for the Grand Game quite like waking up declared a symbol of the Chantry. Between Celene owing her both throne and life and allying the nation’s Wardens with the Inquisition, she could crush all of Orlais beneath her heel. If she leapt off the balcony now, she would _fly_.

Probably best not to test that theory.

“You’re enjoying yourself.”

“How dare you.” The barb was as teasing as her twin’s accusation.

Darrell joined her on the railing, leaning his hip against it rather than sitting on it as she did. “If I knew you were coming to stop an assassin, I would have come prepared.”

“I figured you’d have a hard enough time swallowing that I’d been to the future.”

He chuckled. “Believe me, I did. ...Can I see?” Kendra gripped her elbow, where the pain of the Mark had spread. She removed her glove and held out her hand. The green light reflected eerily off his skin, and she suddenly remembered that unlike her he was _very_ devout.

“Please tell me you don’t think I’m Chosen.”

His eyes flicked up to meet hers. “I know you. If you say you weren’t, then you aren’t.”

Thank the Maker.

They sat in silence, the chirping of crickets mingling with the laughter of the court. “I’m surprised Aldrich isn’t here.”

“I invited him,” Kendra shrugged. “Said he’d rather stay and be of use in the library.”

“What _did_ that Circle do to him?”

Another moment of silence passed. “So...what do you think of them?”

“I think they’re loyal. You’ve gathered a good group.”

“The best.”

“...Don’t shoot the messenger, but Cheval came because she wanted to see about... She called them _rumors_.”

Of course she did. Cunt.

“What do you think?”

Darrell held his hands in front of his chest. “I refuse to judge a man I have only met once outside our usual spheres of life.”

“When did _you_ become such a politician?”

“Tonight. Really though,” his grin was playful, but his tone sincere, “looks like you have a decent thing going.”

She crossed her arms to feel the shift of the dragon’s tooth against her chest. “Glad you approve.”

_I hope so._

“You could have done worse.”

_You do._

Duchess Cheval’s shadow crossed the balcony. They shrank back from the light. “I’ll keep her away from you. Though, head back to that ballroom and every noble in Orlais will do the job for me.”

_That_ was unexpected. “And where would you be off to?”

“Away from her, for one.”

Kendra narrowed her eyes. Tilted forward. Grinned.

“You _know_ , you were _awfully_ chummy with Dorian earlier.”

“Which was he?” His voice was too high.

Her grin grew. “The one you practically tripped over yourself to greet. Tall, dark, handsome. Would you like me to give you tips on how he flirts?”

Darrell backed away. “I’m...going to find the Duchess.”

“He’s into men, you know.”

“I’m going to find the Duchess!”

He turned back after entering the ballroom. “Mother wants Aldrich to come for a visit.”

“Sure. Give my regards to Liesl.”

“ _Just_ Liesl?”

“Give my extra regards to Liesl.”

He left. Came back again. “Cheval’s going to ask. What _did_ you tell the Grand Duchess?”

She thought back to the dance. Two spiders, spinning the same web, looking to entangle the other and come out the victor. Irritation because of _course_ there was a dip why _wouldn’t_ she have to support a dip? A question.

_“Who in the court can be trusted?”_

Kendra grinned. “The truth.”

She adjusted her seat on the banister. Her head tilted back, eyes closed, to sink back into that headspace. Weaving, playing. _Flying_.

“Hey, boss.”

It was like the world was _trying_ to make up for the Herald shit.

She wrapped her arms around Bull's neck and drew him to her by the base of his horns. Her pulse jumped beneath her skin. She wanted this feeling of invincibility to last, and nothing would make that happen like his hands and voice guiding her on a path straight to the brightest place in existence.

The bell chimed.

“Am I still good for that dance?”

The grin he gave her was as wicked as if she'd just stripped bare in front of him.

She could not have asked for a better end to the night than spinning Celene around her fingers. Turned out there was such a thing, and it was flaunting the fact The Iron _Fucking_ Bull was her lover. She lost sense of time and space, laughing every time she tripped over her own feet just to feel him catch her. The look on Duchess Cheval’s face was _priceless_. Josephine’s equally so, but she’d have to apologize to that one.

* * *

“What are these?” Kendra leaned warily away from the crate of letters Josephine and Leliana set on the table. Cullen leaned forward.

“They were sent from your home in Ostwick, along with a message from your father.”

“...Okay.”

Josephine cleared her throat. “He sends these to you with full confidence you will handle them with your usual sense of...tact.”

"And _they_ are...?"

Leliana tapped one of the top envelopes. “Marriage proposals.”

“ _What?_ "

“Most of them are from Orlais. Though some are from families in the Free Marches, as well.”

Kendra glanced from the letters to Leliana. “I only want the good ones.”

“Of course, Inquisitor.”

The good ones were shared with everyone present at their games of Wicked Grace. Read aloud in turns, and often with dramatic flourishes. _Excellent_ ones Kendra went through meticulously with Leliana and Josephine for every bit of leverage the Inquisition could get.

Despite the mountains upon mountains of rejections she sent, they kept coming.

“I change my mind about politics."

“Got some bad news about your job, boss.”

**Author's Note:**

> "I trust no one," says Kendra, wearing a dragon tooth necklace, scheduling Inquisition business around hanging out on the roof with Sera, and ready to kill anyone who so much as blinks at Dorian wrong.


End file.
